The Daily Lunch

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

I was really happy when I found out that Artistry On The Green in Lexington was participating in the Boston Dine Out program since I had a really nice lunch the last time I was here.

First course in the Boston Dine Out menu ($20) was the Long Island Duck Rillette with Frise´e Salad, Pickled Shallots, Croutons and Mustard Vinaigrette. This was rich and oh so good and the Frise´e cut down the richness a bit. The bread or the croutons was a write off, two slabs of concrete, not edible.

House Made Campanelle Pasta ala Bolognese with Parmesan and Gremolata. Nice home made al dente pasta and sauce but the gremolata was absent.

Pear and Chocolate Terrine with Mint Whipped Cream, Hazelnut Sauce and Vanilla Tuile. This sounded so interesting that I had to try it and it was excellent. Really rich chocolate.

Monday, March 2, 2015

Fuji in Somerville is another new restaurant located in the new Assembly Row Complex and they are also participating the Restaurant Week.

The Restaurant Lunchbox deal comes with Miso Soup and it was pretty good. Soy sauce is delivered in a little teapot, cute.

This is absolutely the biggest Bento Box that I have ever seen. Bento Boxes are served with: White Rice, Miso Soup, Salad, Spicy Edamame, Pork Gyoza (2 pieces), Shumai (2 pieces), Sweet Potato & Zucchini Tempura (1 piece each) and Spicy Tuna Maki (3 pieces). I got broccoli tempura instead of zucchini. The shumai was crab shumai. You get three dipping sauces, one for the shumai, one for the gyoza and one for the tempura. I ordered the rib eye rare and it was. Everything was cooked well and the salad and the dressing was really nice. Nice mustard based vinaigrette. The spicy Edamame was just mildly spicy but delicious anyway.

I had to take the Green Tea Tiramisu ($9) to go but they get extra points for packaging it up very nicely. Green Tea Tiramisu served with a scoop of ice cream and mixed fruits

Interior is very nice, long sushi bar and table seating is behind the partition. Service was very good but there was only one other table occupied. Boston Dine Out website said $20 for lunch but I was charged $18, not complaining. Bento Boxes at lunch is normally $16 with a $2 surcharge for the ribeye and I think that's what they charged me and then threw in the dessert, no charge. $16 for that enormous bento box isn't bad at all.

Sunday, March 1, 2015

Restaurant Week starts today and Davio'S in Lynnfield are participating with lunch on a Sunday, three courses for $25. Well. it's really Boston Dine Out but I think a lot of people still think of it as Restaurant Week.

Duck Sausage, Lentil Soup and this was a BIG bowl of tasty lentil soup. You also get a bread basked that has home made potato chips in it and they are delicious.

Stuffed Sole with Shaved Asparagus and Lemon Risotto. Two seriously big stuffed soles on top of the risotto. The fish was excellent and the risotto was tasty but again it failed as a risotto, completely lacked creaminess but the rice was cooked nicely.

Dolci was Manjari Chocolate Mousse and the mousse was excellent. They where surprisingly busy on a Sunday, the bar was packed and good number of tables was occupied as well. It's a bit expensive for me at lunch but the quality of the food and service is always excellent and I got leftovers.

Saturday, February 28, 2015

Time for a return visit to Temazcal Tequila Cantina in Lynnfield to try some more dishes from their lunch menu. Still amazes me that an open air mall like this is so busy on cold but sunny day.

Tried to get everything in one picture, didn't work out to well. Tacos Mechados ($15) Braised Shortribs, Green Cabbage, Crema Fresca, Avocado and flour tortilla served with saffron rice and beans. The salsas are good, the bean dip is still outstanding and the chips was nice and warm. The shortribs was tender and nicely seasoned and the rice was tasty but the beans was the star of the dish. They where excellent the last time but even better this time. Very quiet in here today, except for the kids running screaming around the bar, despite the rest of the mall being really busy.

Friday, February 27, 2015

The banchan today had fresh peanuts (top left) and fish cake (bottom right) apart from the standard offerings. Then they brought out some lightly fried zucchini and grandma brought out a bowl of white kimchi leftovers and everything was of course delicious.

Decided to try the salmon on the Special Lunch Combo ($11) and ordered it medium rare and it come out closer to rare and that made me very happy, it's almost impossible not to get overcooked salmon in most restaurants. There was a sweet home made sauce drizzled over the salmon and I completely forgot the name. Another delicious lunch at this excellent little restaurant.

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Time for some non asian food and what's more American than Snappy Pattys in Medford? I shouldn't judge a restaurant on external issues but the newfangled parking meters really pisses me off, not only do you have to pay, you also have to enter your plate number but you van use a credit card and pay in 25 cents increments. Yes, it's a dollar per hour.

I had take another picture of the interior, I wasn't sure if the art work had changed or not. It hadn't.

Grilled Steak Flatbread ($9) with Brie, Arugula and Red Onion. This was much improved from my first visit, the flatbread was now nice and soft and was cuttable with the supplied knife. The onion was a nice pickled red onion and this was a serious sized portion, I got leftovers. The linen napkins that I got on the first visit are also gone. In fact I think that was the only time I got them.

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Taipei Gourmet in Lexington is now my go to restaurant for Chinese/Taiwanese food for lunch. Good food, excellent service, great prices and they are busy at lunchtime with a lot of non white customers.

Decided to try the Wonton Soup for lunch instead of the excellent Hot & Sour soup. I should have stuck with the H&S, this was OK but a bit bland. Two small wontons.

Flounder Fish Fillet with Sour Mustard ($7.99). I really like this, good quality fish and the Sour Mustard adds a nice contrast to the mild fish. Vegetarian spring roll is OK.